A founding member of a network serving coastal communities in Clayoquot Sound says that Canadian Indigenous communities are underserved when it comes to government funding for animal welfare programs, and this contributes to the problems seen on many reserves.

In recent weeks a group of whales have been in Pachena Bay, their backs occasionally emerging from the water, spouting bursts of mist into the Pacific air. For those fortunate to witness them from the shore, the whales serve as a reminder of the natural majesty that is integral to the site by the Huu-ay-aht village of Anacla.

“That’s definitely the secret sauce,” said Ben Howells of the whales, who is the founder and head organizer of the upcoming Pachena Bay Music Festival. “The hidden agenda in my heart sometimes is connecting people with land.”

On June 27, at Tin Wis Resort and the former site of the Christie Residential School, Tla-o-qui-aht (ƛaʔuukwiʔatḥ) First Nations signed a hopeful agreement with the Government of Canada.

A new notification system that alerts First Nations in B.C. when oil and other hazardous chemicals are spilled within their territories has just launched and is currently being rolled out province-wide.

The new system ensures that First Nation communities and individuals receive spill alerts quickly, 24/7, and that notifications are directly relevant to their self-identified needs.

It has been 22 years since Lisa Marie Young went missing from Nanaimo and advocates continue to gather annually to celebrate the memory of the Tla-o-qui-aht woman, raising awareness for her ongoing investigation.

Close to 80 people gathered at Nanaimo’s RCMP detachment on June 30, 2024, marching with posters and banners down to Maffeo Sutton Park to celebrate and remember Young.

The Smith family of Ehattesaht have heard a story that’s been passed down the generations from grandparent to grandchild. It is the story of three men that traveled a great distance, finally paddling ashore in Ehattesaht territory where they were welcomed and invited to stay.

“When I was a teenager, my Grampa Mo Smith told me the story about the Māori coming to live with us,” said Ernie Smith, now an elected councillor at Ehattesaht/Chinehkint. “He didn’t say when it was, but he said there were three of them and they stayed for three years.”

This June 74 students are graduating from the Eighth Avenue Learning Centre. As they took the stage to celebrate this milestone a common sentiment was apparent: a deep sense of gratitude to the faculty for supporting them through their high school years.

Serving as an alternative to Port Alberni’s much larger high school, Eighth Avenue stresses the importance of forming close relationships with its students, fostering an adaptable educational environment according to individual learning needs.

A team of researchers from the University of Victoria (UVic) and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre are working closely with coastal First Nations in attempts to regrow kelp forests.

With the days being warmer and longer, summer break is just around the corner, but for students in Grade 12, June also marks a larger milestone: the completion of their high-school journey.

Katie Ambrose, a member of Ehattesaht with ties to Mowachaht, Hesquiaht, Kyuquot and Ahousaht, reflected with Ha-Shilth-Sa on her journey through school. Despite the challenges she’s faced during her time at Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS), including being a student there during the pandemic, she’s proud of making it to where she is now.